coal mine

American  

noun

1. a mine or pit from which coal is obtained.

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Other Word Forms

• coal miner noun
• coal mining noun

Etymology

Origin of coal mine

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

The small-cap benchmark has been a canary in a coal mine ahead of U.S. recessions, but one also prone to dying of natural causes.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Purchasing Managers' Indices compiled monthly by S&P Global are the data equivalent of the canary in the coal mine.

From Barron's

But notice there were canary in the coal mine signals, starting with a huge bearish shooting star in January that incredibly closed 35% off its intramonth high.

From Barron's

As the pupils got here to find Tansy in what looked like a coal mine, a broken woman, they fell to.

From Literature

“Black women, we’re always the canaries in the coal mine,” she added.

From Salon